Early Car Prep Can Ease The Transition Into Spring Driving…Or Selling!
Wow! What a couple of weeks of weather for the Northeast. It looks like we’re in for some milder, spring time temps for the near future, though. The first things that comes to mind here at Big Bucks Auto is spring car care and preparing your vehicle for the warmer weather.
Towards the end of 2009, we told you about winter car care tips to keep your vehicle (and you) safe during cold weather driving. The following spring car prep tips serve the same purpose – to keep your car in great shape for safe driving or in case you are looking to sell your car.
Spring Car Care Preparation Tips From BigBucksAuto
Some of the steps you can take towards prepping your car for spring are designed to repair your vehicle from months of harsh winter driving. Others are car care steps that should be taken every few months anyway. The coming of spring, though, is the motivation to get them all out of the way at once.
- Undercarriage Road salt – Road salt can damage your vehicle’s undercarriage by eating away or corroding the metal. A thorough cleaning at a car wash should do the trick.
- Check the tires – It’s crucial to check your tires after weather changes because tire pressure changes about 1 pound per square inch for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in temperature.
- Wiper blades – Windshield wipers take a beating during the winter weather – wiping away dirt, debris and salt and gravel spray. Make sure the blades are making full contact with the windshield and have not dried out.
- Rotate tires – This should be done roughly every 5,000-10,000 miles and it can extend the life of your tires significantly by reducing wear.
- Change oil and filter – Some car makers suggest changing to a heavier oil to help your vehicle’s engine perform more efficiently during warmer weather.
- Change air filter – Your car’s air filter prevents dust and other debris from getting into the engine’s running parts, meaning less efficient use of gas and weaker engine performance.
- Flush and fill cooling system. This is cheap insurance against engine failure. Experts recommend flushing every 2 years for most vehicles.
- Check radiator and gas caps – Tight fitting caps on the radiator and gas tank are important. Radiator caps can corrode and deteriorate, so it’s a good idea to replace yours as often as you flush the cooling system.
- Check battery and plugs – Make sure battery posts and connections are clean. Spark plugs fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles.
- Clean the interior – It’s easy to use your car or truck as a storage area for all kinds of things (including useless junk and garbage), especially in the cold months when you don’t feel like cleaning your car in the freezing cold. Take the time to de-clutter your car. It’s worth it.
So Long Cold Mornings And Hello Warm Driving Weather
Enjoy the warm weather (and hope we haven’t jinxed ourselves into another massive snowstorm) and make sure your vehicle is ready with these easy, simple spring car care preparation tips. If you have plans to sell your used car, getting a free car appraisal from Big Bucks Auto is a great first step.
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Tags: spring car care, spring car prep, spring car preparation, spring driving
